Dying For Crystal
by Thief-Chan
Summary: **Complete** Crystal's computer makes her log out of the world. She then finds the source of the problem; a cat creature named Tsukei.
1. Log On

Thief-Chan: This is my attempt at .hack//SIGN fan fiction. The first chapter is short and the next one will be too. This is a really short experimental fan fiction! It will only be three chapters! (Just had to warn you) The next chapter is going to be sad. I hate writing short stories. Please review or you'll never see the ending.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own .hack//SIGN. I only own the characters in this story.  
  
Part One: Log On  
  
Name: Crystal  
  
Password: Current  
  
Log-in access accepted...  
  
Loading...  
  
(Crystal opens her eyes. Her brown hair hung at the side of her face. She blinks her deep green eyes heavily as she sighs. Her long heavy sward was clutched in her right hand. Her left hand hung uselessly at her side. Her green eyes scan the small city. It was crowded with different groups of people.)  
  
Crystal: Tashi! Hey!  
  
(She waves at a pink-haired girl who was dressed in a WaveMaster's robes. She smiles and walks toward her.)  
  
Tashi: Hey Crystal, long time no see.  
  
Crystal: Yeah, I had so much homework. I haven't been able to log on in weeks.  
  
Tashi: Why so much work?  
  
Crystal: I don't know...my teachers never gave us homework before, but now...  
  
Tashi: Well, anyway, wanna go in search for treasure?  
  
Crystal: Isn't it better to have three people?  
  
Tashi: Nikki isn't online right now.  
  
Crystal: Ah! Nikki! It's been forever since I've talked to her...  
  
Tashi: So, wanna go?  
  
Crystal: Yeah alright!  
  
(Crystal and Tashi transport to a dark dungeon. They walk through for a while when they encounter a monster. It was like a minature dragon only it had no wings.)  
  
Crystal: Oh, let me battle it!  
  
Tashi: But I want-  
  
Crystal: Please?  
  
Tashi: Oh, okay.  
  
(Crystal draws her blade. The dragon creature breathes fire at her, but she jumps out of the way. Pulling the sword over her head, she lunges at the dragon and slides the blade into its stomach. She pulls her now bloody sword out of the dragon, causing it to fall to the floor)  
  
Tashi: Wow! And I thought you wouldn't be very good at this any-  
  
(Tashi freezes)  
  
Crystal: Tashi?  
  
(Tashi fades along with Crystal's surroundings)  
  
Crystal: Tashi?!  
  
...loading...  
  
Logging off player Crystal...  
  
...log off successful.  
  
//  
  
Name: Crystal  
  
Password: Current  
  
Log-in access accepted...  
  
Loading...  
  
(Crystal opens her eyes. She was standing at a bridge looking into the depths of the clear blue waters. Her reflection frowns up at her. Tashi appears next to her and places her hand on her shoulder)  
  
Crystal: Hey, Tashi.  
  
Tashi: What's up, Crystal?  
  
Crystal: What happened yesterday? You disappeared and I got logged off.  
  
(Tashi shrugs and places her staff on the ground)  
  
Tashi: Maybe it was a virus or something. Did you check the boards?  
  
Crystal: Yeah, but it didn't happen to anyone else.  
  
Tashi: That's odd...  
  
Crystal: Wait! I have a new message.  
  
(Crystal freezes)  
  
Tashi: ...  
  
Crystal: !!!  
  
Tashi: What's wrong?!  
  
Crystal: I just recieved the wierdest message...from a character named Tsukei.  
  
Tashi: That is strange. What did he want?  
  
Crystal: That's the wierdest thing. It didn't say anything. Just...  
  
Tashi: Just what?  
  
Crystal: 'Log off'.  
  
(Later, Crystal and Tashi are sitting by the docks tossing water into the sea. As a rock ripples the water, Crystal notices the reflection of a strange creature)  
  
Crystal: Huh?  
  
(A white cat creature with solid black paws sits on a rock staring into the sky. It wore robes that would be seen on a mage. It swishes its tail and blinks its solid glass blue eyes. Crystal rubs her eyes as though she didn't believe it was really there)  
  
Crystal: Tashi, am I crazy or is there a cat sitting on the rock?  
  
(The cat creature stands on the rock and stretches its legs)  
  
Crystal: Okay, a human/cat creature.  
  
(Crystal looks at Tashi)  
  
Crystal: Tashi?!  
  
(Tashi doesn't move or say anything. Crystal returns her gaze to the cat. It narrows its eyes at her)  
  
Cat: //I've been waiting for you, Crystal.//  
  
Crystal: Who...who are you?!  
  
Cat: //My name is Tsukei. I've been wandering around The World trying to find someone who is deserving enough to battle me. You are the one I have selected to fight.//  
  
Crystal: Why me? I'm out of practice, and I wasn't that good to begin with!  
  
Tsukei: //That does not matter. Do you not notice that no one else can hear me?//  
  
(Crystal looks around. No one takes any notice of the creature)  
  
Crystal: H-how?  
  
Tsukei: //Battle me and you will find out.//  
  
Crystal: Fine! I accept your challenge!  
  
(Tsukei floats over to her. The cat stood barely half her size. It reaches its hand out and a staff magically appears)  
  
Tsukei: //Take your fighting position.//  
  
(Crystal takes a step back and pulls out her sword)  
  
Tsukei: //I must warn you, I won't hold back!//  
  
(Crystal lunges forward slashing her sword through the air. Tsukei easily avoids the sword and hurls a ball of fire out from the end of its staff. Crystal falls to the ground slightly scorched from the fire)  
  
Tsukei: //You can't give in that quickly. You have to stand and fight.//  
  
(Crystal gets back to her feet. Another ball of fire is released from Tsukei's staff. Crystal's arm gets badly burned. She sways a while before falling again)  
  
Crystal: I give up...  
  
Tsukei: //You have potions, why don't you use them?//  
  
Crystal: I still can't win.  
  
Tsukei: //Let this be a lesson.//  
  
Crystal: A lesson of what?! That you're a jerk?!  
  
Tsukei: //You have to follow my command.//  
  
Crystal: What command?  
  
Tsukei: //Log off...//  
  
...loading...  
  
Logging off player Crystal...  
  
...log off successful. 


	2. Log Off

Thief-Chan: Waa~! This is the ending part. The next chapter is the epilogue. Please read and review this story. In my mind it was good, but it didn't come out like I expected. Things will clear in the next chapter so stay in tune. If I get enough reviews, who knows. You may see a much longer sequel.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own .hack//SIGN.  
  
Part Two: Log Off  
  
Name: Crystal  
  
Password: Current  
  
Log-in access accepted...  
  
Loading...  
  
(Crystal sits in a field of green grass. Tashi was standing up looking down at her. They both sigh in usison)  
  
Tashi: It just doesn't make sense! No one on the message board is going through the same thing. You're the only one who keeps getting logged out.   
  
Crystal: Well, what's happening to you?  
  
Tashi: My computer keeps freezing.  
  
Crystal: ...  
  
Tashi: What was up with that cat thing anyway?  
  
Crystal: It wanted to battle me. I couldn't fight though. I usually don't give into a battle that easily.   
  
Tashi: Yeah, that doesn't sound like you.  
  
Crystal: I think it was some kind of wavemaster...  
  
Tashi: But it was a cat.  
  
Crystal: Yeah...  
  
((Tsukei: //Log off...//))  
  
(Crystal sits up suddenly)  
  
Tashi: What's wrong?  
  
(Crystal: Those glass blue eyes...)  
  
Tashi: Crystal are you okay?  
  
(Crystal stands up)  
  
Crystal: Let's go looking for Tsukei.  
  
Tashi: What?! Are you insane?! We don't know anything about Tsukei.  
  
Crystal: Then we'll get Tsukei to come to us.  
  
(Moments later...)  
  
Crystal: There, I just sent Tsukei a message asking him to meet me here later to night.   
  
Tashi: Okay. Right now I have to log off and do my homework though. See you later!  
  
(Tashi warps away)  
  
Crystal: Guess all I have to do now is wait.   
  
(The sun sets and a wind blows. Crystal gets up and walks around wondering where Tsukei is. Up ahead she sees a town; and it's on fire! She runs towards it taking out her sword)  
  
Crystal: What's going on?!  
  
(Tsukei appears and grabs Crystal's arm)  
  
Crystal: Ts...Tsukei?  
  
Tsukei: //Come with me, don't ask questions!//  
  
Crimson Knight: Hey you!  
  
Tsukei: //Hurry!//  
  
(Tsukei starts running draggin Crystal along. Two other knights join the first, each bearing an ax as they chase after Tsukei. The two of them run past the flaming village, turn a corner, and hide in a small alley)  
  
Tsukei: //The fire will eventually spred here, but we're safe for now.//  
  
Crystal: Why are the knights chasing you?  
  
Tsukei: //...//  
  
Crystal: If you don't tell me I'll...I'll turn you in!  
  
Tsukei: //I've hacked into the world.//  
  
Crystal: Are you the one who has been logging me out?  
  
(A board lighted on fire falls a foot away from Crystal. She jumps to the side)  
  
Tsukei: //The world is not a safe place. You can be hurt here.//  
  
Crystal: What do you mean? This is just a game!  
  
Tsukei: //Tashi has been hurt.//  
  
Crystal: What?!  
  
Tsukei: //She awoke from the world with a massive headache.//  
  
(Crystal's looks at the ground)  
  
Crimson Knight2: I've found them! They went down the alley!  
  
(Tsukei grabs Crystal to try and run from the knights. All three enter the alley and swing their ax at Crystal. Tsukei pushes Crystal out of the way, getting stabbed in the process.)  
  
Crystal: Tsukei!  
  
(Tsukei falls to the ground)  
  
Crimson Knight: He...he hasn't disappeared. Shouln't he have been logged off from being killed?  
  
Crimson Knight2: We must contact Subaru!  
  
(The knights exit. Crystal sits next to Tsukei)  
  
Tsukei: //I'm sorry...//  
  
Crystal: For what?  
  
Tsukei: //You've only met me, but you don't know me.//  
  
(Tsukei morphs from a cat to a human. He loses his tail, ears, and grows about a foot. His glass blue eyes stare into Crystals)  
  
Tsukei: I'm sorry...I chose you...I knew...you shouldn't have had to see this...  
  
Crystal: No...  
  
Tsukei: I...I...love...I...you...  
  
Crystal: Tsukei...  
  
Tsukei: I'm leaving...do me...one last favor...  
  
Crystal: What?  
  
(Crystal cries as Tsukei closes his eyes. She already knew the answer.)  
  
Tsukei: Log out.  
  
...loading...  
  
Logging off player Crystal...  
  
...log off successful. 


	3. Epilogue

Thief-Chan: And done! *looks at the small last chapter* Eh, good enough. This story didn't quite come out right, but I like it anyway. Please read and review.  
  
Epilogue:  
  
Tashi met up with Nikki days later. The two of them continued playing The World, but eventually stopped and lost contact with each other.  
  
Crystal never entered the world again.  
  
Tsukei was never heard from again.  
  
(A girl named Crystal Bara stands in a cememtary. Small tears fall down her face. In her hands was a picture of a boy with sleek black hair and glass blue eyes. She kneels down next to a grave and places the photo on the ground. The name 'Kurisuta Rugarasu' was engraved in the lone piece of stone. Crystal stands up and walks out of the cemetary. Another shot of the stone is shown.)  
  
Stone: Kurisuta Rugarasu, age fourteen. Died from a coma. May he rest in peace.  
  
(Underneath that were two words that looked like they had newly been engraved. Those two words were as follows: Log out.) 


End file.
